Player Discussion Niko Mikkola

[nyr2k2]

I really like the guy and would love to keep him. He'll probably cost too much.

If we make any kind of legitimate run and he plays well then he's definitely gone. He's one of those guys where a good playoff showing will vault him into big overpay territory. Like someone will give him 4x$4M or something.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

I really like the guy and would love to keep him. He'll probably cost too much.

If we make any kind of legitimate run and he plays well then he's definitely gone. He's one of those guys where a good playoff showing will vault him into big overpay territory. Like someone will give him 4x$4M or something.

No shot he gets $4M imo. In 139 career games he has 4 goals and 16 assists. Bottom pair defenseman minded dmen dont get that much. I think he lands around $2.5

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Hopefully he likes what the Rangers are trying to build, and playing in New York and takes a bit of a discount to stay.

 

[NYR Viper]

Mikkola is soon to be 27 and he's coming off a 5 point season. If I were him, I'm looking for a 2-3 year deal, at decent money but nothing earth shattering, in a spot that I can up my value and play meaningful hockey. Bide my time until the cap increases and enter UFA still in my prime at 29/30 years old looking for another nice pay check.

I still think he takes that deal with the Rangers at something like $1.5-1.7m per season.

 

[egelband]

This. I thought he was shit when he got here. Was taking a boatload of penalties, but he's scaled that back heavily and looks pretty good on D.

Those penalties over the first couple of games were pretty much all horrible calls. One was after a missed offsides I think. Another was a tipped puck the refs said went directly over the glass. The refs really buried him and he has bounced back nicely.

 

[nyr2k2]

No shot he gets $4M imo. In 139 career games he has 4 goals and 16 assists. Bottom pair defenseman minded dmen dont get that much. I think he lands around $2.5

$4M is probably an exaggerated amount but my point is that while we already can't afford him (probably), if we go on a long run and he plays well then his value gets an injection of helium and his price tag becomes even further out of our reach.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I like him for what he is but the right move is to just treat him like a rental and let him walk.

 

[markymarc1215]

I like him and he is what we need now. That being said, we need the cap space, and I'd rather see Robertson or Jones in there next year.

 

[Priorae]

It’s been a while since we’ve felt good about all six d. It’s nice.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

The most I offer him is $1.5 and tell him we're trying to win the cup here. If he wants more than that I tell him to kick rocks and try to sign Tarasenko. Mikkola and Kane can walk.

 

[Captain Lindy]

The most I offer him is $1.5 and tell him we're trying to win the cup here. If he wants more than that I tell him to kick rocks and try to sign Tarasenko. Mikkola and Kane can walk.

I wouldn't give up on Kane just yet. I'm hoping we can keep them both.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

I wouldn't give up on Kane just yet. I'm hoping we can keep them both.

You'd have to trade Lafreniere and Miller

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

The most I offer him is $1.5 and tell him we're trying to win the cup here. If he wants more than that I tell him to kick rocks and try to sign Tarasenko. Mikkola and Kane can walk.

You'd have to trade Lafreniere and Miller

In an ideal world, Tarasenko and Kane sign a Bergeron-Krejčí type deal to try and win a cup here.

Or what Robitaille, Hull and Hašek did in 2001 when they took significant paycuts to try and win a cup.

It would be nice to actually see star players take a team-friendly deal with the Rangers. That never happens. Yeah, Zuccarello but back then he was not really a star player that puts you over the top. We always hear players talk about how they want to play in New York. Well, show it.

Kane and Tarasenko already earned their millions. They've won their cups. This is a great opportunity to add to their legacy, bringing a cup to New York.

Back in 2001, Lidström, Shanahan, Yzerman and Chelios all took paycuts to make it work financially. I know contract restructures aren't possible under the current CBA, but imagine if our pending RFAs do something like that, signing for a lower AAV to put together a contender.

But I doubt it'll happen. Because as much as we talk about it, the only reason players sign here is because the Rangers pay through the nose. It's far from the romaticised destinations we often think it is as fans.

 

[markymarc1215]

It’s been a while since we’ve felt good about all six d. It’s nice.

I can't recall a time in my years a Ranger fan where the consensus was positive about all 6 defenseman. Maybe 1995?

 

[NYRangers0723]

Such a solid pickup. Even though I hate giving up first round picks this wad worth it so de wr got both Vlad and Niko who have become big pieces

 

[mrmovies779]

I love his game..you could do a lot worse for a depth guy.he can breakout with the puck,hes good defensively,and has a bit of snarl in his game.I would love to bring him back on a cheap 2 year deal for the 3rd pair

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

No shot he gets $4M imo. In 139 career games he has 4 goals and 16 assists. Bottom pair defenseman minded dmen dont get that much. I think he lands around $2.5

I think that's an overpayment. I like him too, but that's a lot of $ for a guy playing on the third pair.

You'd have to trade Lafreniere and Miller

Or Goodrow + Kreider

 

[iamitter]

In an ideal world, Tarasenko and Kane sign a Bergeron-Krejčí type deal to try and win a cup here.

Or what Robitaille, Hull and Hašek did in 2001 when they took significant paycuts to try and win a cup.

It would be nice to actually see star players take a team-friendly deal with the Rangers. That never happens. Yeah, Zuccarello but back then he was not really a star player that puts you over the top. We always hear players talk about how they want to play in New York. Well, show it.

Kane and Tarasenko already earned their millions. They've won their cups. This is a great opportunity to add to their legacy, bringing a cup to New York.

Back in 2001, Lidström, Shanahan, Yzerman and Chelios all took paycuts to make it work financially. I know contract restructures aren't possible under the current CBA, but imagine if our pending RFAs do something like that, signing for a lower AAV to put together a contender.

But I doubt it'll happen. Because as much as we talk about it, the only reason players sign here is because the Rangers pay through the nose. It's far from the romaticised destinations we often think it is as fans.

Kane has long wanted to go to the Rangers, but what reason does Tarasenko have to not take a 4 year 6-7 mil deal somewhere?

 

[NYRangers0723]

I think that's an overpayment. I like him too, but that's a lot of $ for a guy playing on the third pair.


Or Goodrow + Kreider

Goodrow would make sense

 

[The Gloaming]

Kane has long wanted to go to the Rangers, but what reason does Tarasenko have to not take a 4 year 6-7 mil deal somewhere?

Vibes.

 

[RGY]

Gotta love Mikkola

 

[haveandare]

I think that's an overpayment. I like him too, but that's a lot of $ for a guy playing on the third pair.


Or Goodrow + Kreider

Kreider is significantly better than Kane all over the ice at this point.

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

Kreider is significantly better than Kane all over the ice at this point.

I want Tarasenko, not Kane.

 

[Zynbanejad]

Love this dude. Really solid player.

 

[eco's bones]

I like Mikkola a lot too but FWIW at least for our team he's a bottom pairing guy. A very good one for sure but......

Looking at UFA D for the coming year:

LD--Dmitri Orlov, Vladislav Gavrikov, Ryan Graves, Carson Soucy, Niko Mikkola, Shayne Gostisbehere, Brian Dumoulin, Ian Cole, Dmitri Kulikov.

RD--John Klingberg, Matt Dumba, Erik Johnson, Damon Severson, Justin Holl, Scott Mayfield, Connor Clifton.

These guys seem the best of the bunch right now for me but I don't think they're all going to score big long term contracts. My guess is that Orlov, Gavrikov, Graves, Klingberg, Dumba, Johnson and Severson should all do pretty well.